Counterpart
by HoshisamaValmor
Summary: Berlin and the Professor have a conversation about Tokyo weeks before the heist.


Author's Note: An idea that came into my mind after reading the tvtropes page on La Casa de Papel. I hadn't really thought about this before lol.

Pt version is also available.

Disclaimer: Don't own anything related to La Casa de Papel.

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The day had already had that stellar beginning, and the gang of brats seemed to still be thinking they were on summer vacation. Berlin had never worked with such a numerous group of people, but frankly, he never expected it to be this bad.

Rio must have got his first fit of drunknness, most likely after two or three beers, after which he was surely knocked out. Today, the monumental hangover had made him bury his head on the top of the desk, unable to even blink out of fear his skull would explode, just like school teenagers. The Professor had given up trying to make him pay attention and had been forced to resort to changing the class subject to one the brat wouldn't be as essential.

Nairobi and Tokyo were particularly cheerful; the hangover didn't seem to affect them. Most likely, they had drowned it earlier in the morrning with the stock of alcohol they hid in their bedrooms.

Helsinki and Oslo seemed to be rather entertained with the situation. From the little he was able to catch from their comments, they dubbed Rio as a baby. On that they were undoubtedly correct. Moscow wasn't as amused, his expression heavy with apprehension and disappointment.

And then there was Denver.

Idiot.

Even after the class and lunch, Berlin was still pissed. Or rather, his annoyance was increasing rather than mitigating by each hour that passed. He turned his jacket three or four times around, complaining more each time he did it. He didn't want to wear the damn jacket again, but he had too much love for the money and his precious diamonds that had earned him such a wonderful fabric, handsewed to fit him to perfection, and that suited him to perfection. Denver wasn't supposed to even breathe near it, let alone wear it. Idiot.

"You have to explain to me why are some people supposed to be here," he complained loudly, attracting the Professor's attention before he could leave the hall and walk into the garden.

The Professor fixed his glasses to the top of nose and sighed.

"Considering there hasn't been significant damage, I think we can accept this one attitude and leave it perfectly clear that..."

"Accepting my ass. Denver stole my jacket. Are we in some sort of community? Some spiritual retreat that includes sharing goods?"

"Scared you'll catch a virus, are you?" Tokyo mocked, walking past him to pick her glass from the table and throwing an ironic sneer at Berlin.

"Stupidity is contageous, hadn't you heard? Such an interesting girl such as yourself should be careful before you turn into a complete bitch."

Tokyo showed him the middle finger and then took it to her lips, blowing him a kiss before turning her back to him, hair whipping the air. Berlin rolled his eyes without patience. Amongst it, he caught the Professor adjusting his glasses again and preparing himself to take the moment to flee.

"Where are you going? I asked you a question."

"Hm?"

"What sort of a fucking freakshow did you settle up here? Have you been surfing online profiles until you harvested the worst?"

"Everyone was picked with a very clear reason. Everyone is essential for the plan to work, and no piece can fail or we'll end up with nothing."

What a pettiness.

"Helsinki and Oslo I get. The other girl, Nairobi, I get her too, she's good with forgeries, even though she's not right in the head. But you can see she's got some brains somewhere in there. Rio is a little naive punk but he knows about computers. Moscow is essential for the escape. That idiot Denver..."

"Berlin..."

"He stole my jacket to sneak into a festival. For fuck's sake, don't even try. Are we all kids, by any chance? Are we on vacation?" The Professor sighed and Berlin resumed his dissertation: "He has absolutely no use whatsoever, we're not lifting a gas station."

"Denver is..."

"I know. Him, I can comprehend. He's useless, but Moscow wouldn't join without him. He's a necessary evil. But now, her?"

As if she had heard or felt him, Tokyo let out a sounding laughter outside while Nairobi was enthusiastically explaining something to Helsinki, her voice squeally as usual. The Professor followed Berlin's gaze and turned to finish packing his papers. Berlin threw his head back, sensing the poor attempt to evade his question.

"So, what's your justification?"

"What do you mean, justification?"

"Sergio..."

The Professor immediately threw a serious warning glare to Berlin, which in turn he retributed with a defiant grin. It was nice to remind him he _was not_ going to leave without what he wanted.

"Answer me."

"I already gave you my answer. All of us have a role to play. If just one piece falls, the whole plan will fail."

"We don't have a single killer here." The Professor halted. Berlin threw the jacket over a chair and picked his glass, walking around the table. "In which part of your idealistic plan without killing does a woman who murdered a cop fit in?"

"She's a professional. Emotional and impulsive, yes..." Even before the Professor added the adjectives, Berlin was already snorting at his glass. Professional, that brat? Worst yet, she wasn't a brat at all, but looked like she hadn't moved on past puberty. And the 'professionalism' was already clear by the way she respected one of the rules the Professor's had so naively believed everyone would obey. It was hard not to hear Tokyo's pretty head banging against the wall most nights, and Rio wasn't a master at discretion either. But Rio, at least, made it blatantly obvious he had computer knowledge and pretty much nothing else beyond that; which didn't justify, but at least predicted, a behaviour like that. Tokyo was another story.

"How does 'emotive' and 'impulsive' mean she's professional?"

The Professor made that expression he saved for derogatory and 'unfounded' comments Berlin made of others.

"Really, I'm not kidding. What is the reason you can give me to explain her presence in the group? What's her specialty? Failed robberies?"

"Initiative," the Professor answered. Berlin's eyebrows arched up.

"Initia-"

"Like I said, she's professional, and her effort will inspire and keep others motivated."

"Are you sure it's not just to provoke me?"

"The world doesn't spin around you, Berlin."

"Well, if you want someone to lead, who has initiative and whose efforts inspire and motivate the others, you have me."

"I have both of you. You balance each other."

"Ah, so I am right," Berlin said, smiling. "Her job is to piss me off."

Professor took a deep breath, searching for the right words to appease and finish the conversation without blatantly admitting Berlin was right. He pushed his glasses to the top of his nose.

"If there's an extreme situation, when stress and tension build up throughtout the days, I know both your temperaments will complement each other."

Berlin's laughter was low, making his chest vibrate while he shaked his head.

"The extreme situations will be caused by _her._ "

" _Both_ your temperaments will complement each other," the Professor repeated, lifting his finger for emphasis. "You will control the emotive situation with your stoicism..."

"...and she will point a gun to my head if my decisions aren't of her liking. I see, I see. You have a good thinking process. She acts as your lap dog to keep me in check in case I try to push my leash too much. After all, she is a killer, and I..." The Professor made that face again. Berlin lifted his hand to his chest, solemn, but his expression stayed the same sneering. "I think it's a wonderful idea, I really do. Since you can't tell that the difference between _me_ breaking the rules and them breaking the rules is _very big_ , then I understand that you will want a counterpart for me and you have found it in Tokyo."

"No one is going to break the rules." Another idealistic and naive statement.

"The difference is that me breaking the rules acts to enhance you as leader. She will only do it because she's childish and impatient."

"Don't be cynical. If you break the rules it's because you're stubborn and..."

Berlin waved his finger as he clicked his tongue. "If they see you reacting to me, they'll know you'll be ruthless if they do it."

"This isn't a dictatorship."

"This isn't a democracy. You won't be very successful otherwise, and you know it. That's why I'm the one in charge of the heist." He clicked his tongue again. "You read so much, and yet you still believe in the utopia of democracy and salvation of the damned. Besides putting this circus, you also have your philantropic vein. Gathering the dying and the fatalists for one last chance of redemption. Or rather, to make history."

He didn't say it with the intent to hurt him - perhaps to provoke him. But he saw how his gaze shifted and he averted it away. He knew Sergio didn't like to be reminded of the little time Andrés had left. As much as it grew inevitable each day, he still didn't accept it.

Sergio took a deep breath. His body posture straightened when he turned to Andrés.

"It's precisely due to that fatalistic attitude that a presence of someone like Tokyo is necessary. I know you too well. Her personality is opposite to yours. You will complement each other, and that way both of you will prevent, together, that the other one fucks over the plan."

Andrés nodded and finished his drink.

"We'll see."

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the end

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Author's Note: Thanks for reading, reviews and corrections are encouraged


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